The present invention generally relates to multi-media editing and, in particular to a method of creating multi-media productions that uses content information of elements of the production to guide in a construction of the multi-media production.
Combining still images, text, video, sound and other multimedia elements into a production is a complex task that requires extensive knowledge in many diverse areas. Video editing is a well established field in which numerous types of elements are combined to form a final production. The types of elements often used in the construction of a video production are visual, audible and textual. Visual elements include such things as video footage, still shots and animation. Audible elements include such things as backing tracks, sound effects, commentaries and recorded audio of the video clips. Textual elements include such things as titles, credits and subtitles.
These elements have various properties that can be altered and effects that can be applied. The elements can then be combined in many different ways to form a final product and for each combination there is a large amount of knowledge that is relevant to the choices that must be made.
For many years, this extent of production was available only to TV stations and large production houses. With the advent of home video cameras, personal computers, inexpensive video capture cards and video editing software, it is now possible for many more people to create their own video productions.
However, the knowledge needed to make good choices must be learned by the person creating the production. For many people who only wish to put together a few simple productions the learning curve is quite steep and poor quality productions are created due to a lack of informed decisions. Similar difficulties arise in the case where it is desired to create a production made up of digitised stills and music, stills and text, video material alone, or sound material alone.
Thus there exists a need for an apparatus, system and/or method for a guided creation of a production which provides assistance and guidance to a user creating such a production.
In accordance with one general aspect of the present invention there is provided a computer implemented method of creating a dynamic production for sensory perception by a user, said production including at least one of an audio element and a visual element able to be perceived by the user, said method including the steps of:
(a) extracting from at least one portion of at least one said element content information relating to a perceivable content of said portion; and
(b) creating said production by applying at least one of a predetermined (first) set of production rules to said portion according to the extracted content information.
Preferably, the method includes the further steps, before step (a), of:
(aa) applying to said at least one portion at least one of a predetermined (second) set of production rules to form said content information corresponding thereto; and
(ab) associating said content information with the corresponding said portion.
In accordance with another general aspect of the present invention there is provided a computerised method of forming a dynamic media production from source media having elements including at least one of audio media and visual media, said method including the steps of:
(a) receiving said source media;
(b) analysing at least one said element for at least a portion of said source media with a predetermined set of content rules to extract therefrom content information associated with a corresponding portion of said source media;
(c) examining the content information of at least one said portion to determine a limited set of production rules applicable to the corresponding said element;
(d) selectively applying at least one of said production rules to a corresponding one of said elements so as to alter said corresponding one element; and
(e) combining at least said altered element with other of said media to form said media production.
Other aspects of the invention including apparatus, sytems and computer program products will become apparent from an understanding of the following description and of the claims appended hereto.